Ball reprojector



Aug. 3, 1943.

M. A. KELLERMANN ETAL BALL REPROJECTOR Filed Oct. 8, 1941 Jae/2e WPn'ce MawaAKellermazzm INVENTORS New .lrraeuey Patented Aug. 3, 1943 I -uNITEn sTATEs' TENT OFFICYE a} pALL' REPROJECTOR Marvin l LKellermann andDlia' ne WlP rice, i Chicago, Ill. Applicationdctober s, 1941 serial No. 4i4 ,117 Claims. (01. 27s -'-zs9) This invention relates to game' apparatus and more particularly to ball reprojecting mechanism for such apparatus, which ball reprojecting'mechanism will be relatively simple and economical in construction and highly efficient in use.

It is an object of this invention to provide in a ball game apparatus wherein balls are adapted to be projected in one direction, a means for reprojecting balls in an opposite. direction, which reprojection may be varied at the option of the player; a V V Another object of this invention is to provide in a game in which balls ar'e'projected along a given trajectory a means forreprojecting balls and means for adjusting such reprojecting means relative to the given trajectory.

A further object of this invention is the provi sion in games employing ball reprojecting mechanism, of means for adjusting such reprojecting mechanism laterally to control the reprojection of balls so that such'reprojected' balls will be deflected along different paths of movement in accordance with the adjustment made.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully as the device is described in-the accompanyingspecification in view of the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of an amusement apparatus embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of our invention as seen along line 2'2 of. Fig. 1;

Fig; 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the game board illustrated in Fig.1; and.

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating thevarious parts associated with the adjust- 4 mined trajectory.

In the present instance;- there is shown a ball pitching unit of ,a specific type forming the subject matter of our Patent No. 2,294,035. By this ball projecting means balls areadapted to be thrown-or directedalong a certain path of; movement indicated by the dot-dash line T.

Ball pitching devices for such purpose are well known in the art, as is evidenced by Patent No.

1,285,132 issued to one Grimes, it being an object of the present inventionto reproject balls so projected along a predetermined and definite path of movement. Other than for the purpose. intended such ball projecting devicedoes not form a partof this invention.

The ball reprojecting mechanism is indicated at: [6 and in the present instance simulates a batter fora baseball game.

The mechanism It includes a body, the lower portion I! of which forms a standard, while the upper portion [8 thereof is 'mo-unted for rotatable movement about a sub- The standard I! has a stantially vertical axis.

. base formation H) from which extends down- 23 fixedthereto by threaded screws 24.

26 by means now to be described. l

wardly a boss formation 2E]. The base 19 'is adapted to rest upon the upper surfaces of the playboa'rd l2, with the downwardly extending boss 20' disposed ina slot 2! formed in the board I2 and extending transversely thereof. The slot formation 2| is disposed in the board with its long axis substantially at right angles to the trajectory T of the ball. By this arrangement the body l 1'|8 isodisposed in the normal batting position assumed :by 'a baseball .player' in the conventionalgame;- V I The underside of'the .board' I2 is partially gouged'out as at 22 .and hasa stationary plate A slot ZSiS-formedin the plate 23and is arranged in alignment with the slot formation 2| s0 that the boss formation 20 will be free' to move relative tosuch' slots; A movable plate 26 has pin 21 and j slot 2:3 connection with: the mounting plate 23' and has a sleeve formation. 28 into which the boss formation 20 is normally disposed, there being a suitable set screw 30 affixing the boss 20 within 7 the sleeve '29, so thatfthe'standard and base I'I'l9 will be movable with the shifting plate A control means bywhich the-reprojecting de- 'vice .16 is shiftable comprises. a control handle 31 pivotally arranged on thecabinet I l (exteriorly of the enclosure l3) through'the medium of a bushing 32 mounted on the playboard I2. 7

A vertically disposed; shaft 33 is rotatab-ly mounted in the bushing 32 and has affixed ,to its upper end the handle 3|. The lower end of the shaft 33 carries a lever 34 for swinging movement 7 with the shaft andhas pin and slot connection 35 with one end of a rocker arm or lever 35.

This rockerarm is pivoted at its central portion as at 3i to the underside of the board l and has its;oppos i te end :portion operatively connected to the shiftable plate 25. In the present instance the rocking lever 36 has a slot formation 58 at its inner end, there being a pin means 39 extending through the slot 38 for threadable connection to a depending lug 46 formed integrally with the shifting plate 26.

The reprojecting mechanism l6, as hereinbefore explained, has an upper portion I8 mounted for rotatable movement about a vertical axis; and means for causing rotation of this upper portion I8 is provided by a vertical shaft 4! mounted for rotatable movement through one leg portion The ro-.

the arms 55 of the body portion l8, thus rendering a shorter stroke of the bat through the hand control as heretofore described, and causing the ball to be reprojected more in a direction to the right of the ball projecting unit, or toward the right field in the usual baseball playfield.

The swinging action of the bait 56 may likewise be skillfully controlled to attain a particular directional fiightof theball, the movement of the batjhoweverjbeing limited to a particular segmental area'by reason of'the link 36 contacting .the sleeve formation 29 in extreme positions. of the standard ll, which leg portion a2 is aligned "With the bat in the position shown in Fig. 1, the

2 link 56 is in the position shown in Fig, 3, with tending beyond the boss formation 29 and .is'

adapted to have a lever arm 43 fixedly attached thereto by a set screw 44. The leyer 43 is'p'ivotally connected as at 45 to a link bar 45 near one end thereof, and this link bar has its opposite end pivot-ally connected as at "41 to a lever 18 .carriedzat the lower end of-a vertically disposed shaft 49 mounted :for rotatable movement'in a bushingfii] carried bythegplayboard l2 to the Tight/ 05 the bushingfil-Z, as seen in-Fig. l. hand-operated-control lever .51 is fixed to'the upper end f the vertically disposed shaft 59 to impart rocking motion to the shaft. The inner free end 52 of the'linkifi ihas a'spring 53 attached thereto, the opposite .end of the spring being anchored as :at "54 to the underside of the board 12 to urge .themember 45 and associated 'partszint-o a normal position as shown.

ZIhe movable body I8 has, apair of laterally extending arms 55 with a bat 56 extending i therefromin such a manner thatwhen the body 4.8 is oscillated the bat 56 will swing through an arc indicated at A. The swinging action-of the bat55 isbrought about through the hand-operatedi lever '51, which, when urged clockwise as see-11in Fig. 1,-will rcause'thebat'to assume the :dotted-line position in readiness to strike an nncomingball. 1

Inoperating the gamethe player is free to manipulate theibat to strike balls traveling along the trajectory T, for the purpose nfireprojecting the ball back upon the board innn attempt to lodge the ball in various objectives (not shown) placed in difierent positions within :the enclosure..!3.' .As is ;a generalruie, .th-eyarious objectives .may :have zdifierent' score values vorathese obiectivesimay ;be such that 'once .a iballiis lodged :therein the objectiveris'out of play. Forthisrearson it is apparent that the skill of the player may be employed .in'fdir'ecting' ballsdioward one-or another objective ashe may choose.

To this end it-wiil'be noted-that thelengthening or shortening of theleverage provided'by the bat portion 56 will aid thep'layer in directingthe ball toward a particular-objective. T0 accomplish such skillful operation of the reprojeeting means, the player will usehis left hand to control the positioning of the hatter with respect to the line "of flight of the ball; for instance, withthe lever 3| shown inthe 'positioninFig. 1,-the batter is in a position whereby a maximum long stroke of the bat will be accomplished. If a shorter stroke is desired, the lever 3| will be rotated counterclockwise (Fig. 1) thereby-rocking the leverclockwise on its'pivotbl to shift the movable plate 25 to'the right, and 'by reason of the connection of the base is and standard I? with the plate 26, the-entire body of the batter will be shifted closer to the trajectory ofthe'ball whereupon the ball will strike the bat closer to one side edge 4 thereof bearing against the sleeve formation 29. When the handle 5! is rotated clockwise, such clockwise movement of the leverzS'l and thecorresponding lever 43 is limited by reason of the pivotal connection 45 on the link #6 passingthrough an arc about the vertically disposedsl-laft 44 until the link again engages the sleeve formation 29, such "engagement occurringapproxirnately at the point indicated at 46". a a I 7 The back stop 63 may be provided to prevent projected bails from constantly hitting the front "face of the enclosure 13, and this-back stop 6.6 may be ofa-r-ather resilient character, such for instance-asCelluloid, whereby balls striking such backstop-will be caused torol-l back toward the pitching unit 15 for return to its supply source.

From-the foregoing description it is apparent that wevhaverproviwd a .novel ball reprojectin-g mechanism having .-a. dual control whereby a player may exhibit his skillin reprojecting balls toward any one or a nnm-benof pre selected objectives. V

whilepwe have iliustrated and described the preferred form .of-constructi-o-n for carrying our invention into effect, this-iswcapable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit .of the invention. -We therefore, do not wish to be limited tothe precise details .of"constructionset fOI'th,b-l1-t?dSlIB-t0 avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within thescope oi the -.-appended claims.

Having thus described ourinvention, what we claim as znew and desire to protect by Letters Patent r :1. In a ball reproiector-adapted to deflect a ball traveling along a predetermined trajectory, the provision of a movablestandard, lever means pivotally mountedon. said standard, means for controlling the pivotalrnovernent of the lever means, and means for :shiftingsaid. standard toward and away from said predetermined trajectory;;said last named means comprising. in combination'afixed plate having a'slot formed therein-extending transversely 'of said trajectory, .a movabieiplatc arranged'tor-shifting movement on :said :fixedplate and 'having'a depending boss .iormation ithereon :for "supporting said .lever means for pivotalmovement von said standard. ssaidrbossioi'mation extending through said slot and into .said movable" plate, .and 'manualiy controlled .levermeans. operatively associated with said: movableiplate for shifting tthe latter.

.2. 5111 a :ball'agame apparatus including a cabinet and a transparent enclosure together with :means for pitching a ballalonga particular trajectory, the provision of means for reprojecting balls comprising a movable standard, means mounting said standard on the cabinet Within the enclosure formovement'relative to said trajectory, said =me'ans comprisingi in combination a stationary plate having a slot formation at right angle to said trajectory, a shifting plate arranged on said stationary plate for movementparallel to said slot,"boss means on said standard and extending downwardly through said slot into said shiftable plate joining the latter with said standard, and manual control means for said shift-' able plate and disposed exteriorly of said enclo-' sure on said cabinet. V

3. In a ball game apparatus including a cabinet having a playboard and a transparent enclosure together with means on said playboard for pitching a ball along a particular trajectory to-' gether with means for 'reprojecting balls comprising a movable standard; ball batting means pivotally mounted on said standard and adapted to reproject balls passing along said trajectory and control means for said batting means and arranged exteriorly of said enclosure, the combination of means mounting said standard on the playboard for movement relative to said trajectory, said means comprising a sole formation in said playboard, a movable plate mounted be? neath said playboard for movement transversely ofsaid trajectory, means mounting the movable plate as aforesaid said standard having a boss formation for pivotally supporting said batting means, said boss formation extending downwardly through said slot andinto said movable plate, and manual control meansfor said movable plate and disposed exteriorly of said encl0-' sure on said cabinet. 7

'4. In a game board having a ball reprojector adapted to deflect a ball traveling along a predetermined trajectory, said ball reprojector hav-, ing a vertically disposed shaft rotatable 'for I portion transversely of said trajectory and com-- t swinging a bat together with means formanuall y I controlling the bat and further having a standard arranged for movement crosswise of said trajectory, the combination of a base for said standard and havinga depending boss formation for supporting said vertically disposed shaft a slot formation in said game board and disposed at substantially rightangle with respect to said trajectory, a stationary plate supported on the underside of said'game board andhaving a slot formed therein arranged in register with saidslot formation,- a movable plate arranged for; shifting movement on said stationary plate in a direction parallel to the long axis of said slot formation and having a sleeve formation for grippingly engaging said dependingboss, pin and slot means for arranging saidmovable plate for shifting movement as aforesaid, and manually operable means for said movable plate forrshifte I V in the latter transverselyof said trajectoryL 5. In combination with anether portion of a manikin for batting balls'p'rojected along a der- 7 tain trajectory, means for'shifting said nether prising a base for the nether portion, astationary slot into engagement with-said movable plate, and lever means operatively associated with said movable plate for shifting the latter relative to said stationary panel. 7 v j" MARVIN A. KELLERMANN.

DUANE W. PRICE; 

